Craeft aims to enrich the scientific understanding of crafting activities and view crafts as a dynamic heritage, as a sustainable income source, and as a manifestation of human intellect and creativity.
Craeft plans to diversify practitioners' income sources and certify participation in informal learning to address the decline in craft practitioners and apprentices. The project will enhance craft education and training with digital tools and methods to make learning more accessible, efficient, and flexible, particularly for remote learners.
Central to Craeft's approach is the Maker-Material-Negotiation model (O1) that conceptualizes the complex interactions in crafting, encompassing mechanical, perceptual, and intellectual aspects. Digital reenactment of craft actions and processes (O2) will be key for developing digital training tools, conserving resources, and ensuring safety in training.
The educational aspect (O3) is structured in stages, covering the introduction to craft vocabulary and principles, guiding through techniques and workflow planning, and fostering critical thinking and improvisation skills. An eLearning platform developed by Craeft will support this.
Craft training (O4) will emphasize repetitive practice in a safe, cost-effective manner using VR/AR and craft-specific simulators to enhance skills, including social interactions in the workshop setting.
Design innovation (O5) focuses on developing new ideas and designs through realistic simulations, thereby reducing the costs and risks associated with physical experimentation.
Craft preservation and revival (O6) will involve certifying skills and expanding practitioners' income opportunities, notably through online tutoring and new market exploration. A community portal supports this by documenting contributions and facilitating engagement across various platforms.
Product valorization (O7) introduces digital dimensions to craft products and explores the creation of new products like digital games and physical toys, opening up new avenues for engagement and revenue.
